Some of you may remember, how few months ago we’ve posted a peculiar illusory toy, named Dice Mirror. After seeing such an amount of positive reactions, I decided to share another interesting puzzle which is also available to wider public. This one is called Preposterous Puzzle, and logic behind it, closely relies on optical illusion principles.

Our assignment is relatively simple: what we have to do, is rearrange the wooden blocks, but in such way that one extra slot is retrieved, where additional wooden square can be placed. Sounds somewhat impossible, ayeh? Well, contrary to our belief, the answer exists. I kid you not!

You can get the scoop of what I’m talking about via images included, but the problem can be understood better, if you check one of our previous illusions called Missing Piece.

Let’s repeat the core: At first glance you see a square completely filled with wooden pieces. Then you’re asked to insert a smaller square into the middle without removing any pieces. Obviously there is just not enough space. Apparently no-one told the makers of this puzzle that it’s inherently flawed and unsolvable. But is it? The Preposterous Puzzle can be solved indeed, however refuse to open your mind, and it will silently taunt you forever. Using our cumulative optical illusion experience (check this one), I believe we can solve the puzzle in no-time. If you like this optical illusion toy, it’s available for purchase in our partner store!

This puzzle relies on the perception that the slight gap in one state (visible in the photo with the hand) is an acceptable manufacturing error and has nothing to do with the area or volume of the piece that needs to be incorporated into the whole.

Similar puzzles where a single square unit is missing in one state or another also rely on this mistake of measurement and alignment.

James

Speaking of puzzles; I am looking for a puzzle called “The Jailer” it is a metal rod with several tear drop shaped rods pinched at either end of the middle rod; holding them are 2 wooden balls on either sides. The loops go over the middle rod in an arc formations with a string looped in the middle. The trick is to remove the string from the middle rod. Has anyone seen this and where can I get it?

Letni

Firstly, I would like to apologize for my poor grammar. English is not my first language.
I tried to give directions for solving this puzzle. If you do not wish to know the solution, do not read this post.
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Leave everything the way it is….
Take out the trapezoid and the pentagon…

Trapezoid: The side that is perpendicular to the two parallel sides must line up against the hypotenuse of the triangle in the upper left corner.

Pentagon: From the position it is in currently, turn the piece over. The side perpendicular to the parallel sides must finish up the top side of the final square.
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For those of you who tried this out, let me know if my directions were accurate/easy to follow or not.

Thank you for reading.

SHYzone

-YAWNS-

kayla

wha-

daniel

@letni They where easy to follow but then again I’m a maths expert. If English isn’t your first language maybe you should use Laymen terms. Just sayin’

JannyMaha

@Daniel: “Like”

thebrainster

these puzzles simply defy obscurity!!! no compliments, because i hate these things!! mainly because i can’t understand, my best guess is all that tiny free space in lines between the shapes is converted to a square shaped hole… i’m gonna be depressed all day… sorry

thebrainster

woah woah woah… why was guess turned into an advert?

thebrainster

for 5 seconds

JannyMaha

rotate that top middle piece clock wise and the piece that is on it’s right side (top right-hand corner) rotate that one counter-clock wise. Then put each piece where the other was -so that now the top right-hand corner piece is where the middle piece was and vice-versa. there should be a small square space to put that extra piece in. (am I close??)